Peak Condition Update | Ellingwood Point

Peak:	Ellingwood Point
Route:	North Ridge via South Zapata Creek
Range:	Sangre de Cristo
Posted By:	bangerth
Date of Info:	6/13/2019
Date Posted:	6/16/2019

Details
I can't report about anything past South Zapata Lake as that's as far as I got. But up to that point: Snow patches start to block the trail occasionally at 11,250 ft. The first dozen or so one can get over unaided -- they're typically 3 ft deep and 10 ft wide -- but eventually one has to bite the bullet and make a decision: (i) switch back and forth between shoes and snowshoes frequently; (ii) go high on the left/east to stay on the talus above the snow fields; (iii) go low along the creek to stay on the snow fields and use snowshoes. I took option (ii) on the way up until the last ridge before South Zapata Lake. It's feasible to keep the snowshoes off for the most part, but it's excruciatingly slow to navigate the steep talus. The rocks are also not always stable. I opted for (iii) on the way back and moved far faster. Snowshoes are definitely needed. It did make me uncomfortable that one has to stay low below steep snowfields at times to avoid taking off the snowshoes all the time crossing rock fields. Low also means one occasionally has to cross the creek running below the snow, and hope that the snow is stable. But at least it's much faster than hopping rocks. C2 and C3 are still deeply covered in snow.

Details

I can't report about anything past South Zapata Lake as that's as far as I got. But up to that point:

Snow patches start to block the trail occasionally at 11,250 ft. The first dozen or so one can get over unaided -- they're typically 3 ft deep and 10 ft wide -- but eventually one has to bite the bullet and make a decision: (i) switch back and forth between shoes and snowshoes frequently; (ii) go high on the left/east to stay on the talus above the snow fields; (iii) go low along the creek to stay on the snow fields and use snowshoes.

I took option (ii) on the way up until the last ridge before South Zapata Lake. It's feasible to keep the snowshoes off for the most part, but it's excruciatingly slow to navigate the steep talus. The rocks are also not always stable.

I opted for (iii) on the way back and moved far faster. Snowshoes are definitely needed. It did make me uncomfortable that one has to stay low below steep snowfields at times to avoid taking off the snowshoes all the time crossing rock fields. Low also means one occasionally has to cross the creek running below the snow, and hope that the snow is stable. But at least it's much faster than hopping rocks.

C2 and C3 are still deeply covered in snow.

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